12D11N Kathmandu, Pokhara & Poon Hill Trek

Upon arrival at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be greeted by our friendly local representative who will send you to your hotel. (Approx. 1 hr)

Overnight: Hotel

Day 02

KATHMANDU SIGHTSEEING

After enjoying your breakfast in the hotel, you will start off your day with a visit to Pashupatinath. Pashupatinath, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a pagoda- style temple situated on the bank of the sacred Bagmati River, and is one of the holiest temples in the entire Hindu world. There, you will have an opportunity to observe the cremation rituals held by the river as well as to spot the scores of barely- clad marijuana smoking holy men or Sadhus who live in the premises. Visit Patan (aka Lalitpur) – The City of Fine Arts – located just across the Bagmatic River from Kathmandu. The Patan Durbar Square consists of a dense network of Newari style palace, courtyards and temples. The Royal Palace is flanked by three courtyards, each built at a different time with its own unique characteristic: Sudari Chowk, Mul Chowk, and Keshav Narayan Chowk. The earliest of the three, Sundari Chowk is known for its spectacularly carved stone bath and wood ornamentation of animals and deities. There are more than 50 ancient and exquisite temples of Hindu and Buddhist styles within and in the vicinity of the square. Krishna Mandir, a three story Shikhara style temple with 21 golden pinnacles and intricate cravings of Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharat is completely made of stone. There are also many other famous Buddhist temples like Hiranya Varna Mahavihar (Golden Temple), Mahaboudha and Uku Bahal.

Overnight: Hotel

Day 03

KATHMANDU – POKHARA

After enjoying your breakfast, you will be transferred by public bus to Pokhara. (Approx. 6 hrs). Other than taking bus all the way to Pokhara, you can also choose to raft down the Trisuli River that runs parallel to the road from Kathmandu to Pokhara The raft starts off at a leisure pace before picking up speed, giving you ample time to familiarize on rafting techniques and build up teamwork. Most of the rapids along the river are class 2 to 3 which offers good introduction to rafting. The activity will end at the village of Mugling where you will be hop onto a public bus to Pokhara.

Overnight: Hotel

Day 04

POKHARA – NAYAPUL – TIKHEDHUNGA

After enjoying your breakfast, you will be driven (Approx. 1 hr) to the trailhead in Nayapul to begin on the Poon Hill trek. After a short hike along the banks of Modi Khola, you will reach Birethanti (1065m), a village with many shops and teahouses. The trail follows the north bank of Bhurungdi Khola and climbs steadily up through the valley before reaching Hile (1495m), and finally to the village of Tikhedhunga (1525m) where you will check in to a guesthouse to rest for the day.

Overnight: Guesthouse

Day 05

TIKHEDHUNGA – ULLERI – GHOREPANI

After enjoying your breakfast, you will leave Tikhedhung by following the trail to cross Bhurungdi Khola on a suspension bridge. Subsequently, be prepared for a steep and long ascend via the 3200 stone steps to reach the Magars village of Ulleri (2070m). At Ulleri, you will be rewarded with the spectacle view of Machapuchare (Fishtail Mountain). The trail continues to ascend gently through fine forests of oak and rhododendron towards Banthanti (2250m), Nangethanti (2460m) and then to Ghorepani (2775m). Ghorepani, which means “horse-water” in Nepalese, is a popular pitstop for mule trains which ply the route from Pokhara to Jomsom and beyond. Nestled on top of the mountain, Ghorepani is shrouded with clouds and offers magnificent views of the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges.

Overnight: Guesthouse

Day 06

GHOREPANI – POON HILL – GHOREPANI – TADAPANI

You will start off the hike early (before dawn) for the sunrise climb to Poon Hill, which offers a panoramic view of the Annapurna Range. Watch in awe as the first rays of sun penetrate the enveloping clouds to illuminate the peaks of Dhaulagiri (8167m) and Tukche (6920m), making the effort of waking up early worthwhile. After enjoying the magnificent sunrise, you will return to Ghorepani for breakfast before resuming the trek, exploring the ridges of rhododendron and pine forests to Tadapani.

Overnight: Guesthouse

Day 07

TADAPANI – GHANDRUK

From Tadapani, the trail descends through sheltered moist forests with occasional views of the mountains before reaching Ghandruk (2000m) – a stunning village of the Gurung people. The Gurung people, one of the ethnic groups of Nepal, have their own dialect, culture, culture, costume, and lifestyle which you will have an opportunity to experience.

Overnight: Guesthouse

Day 08

GHANDRUK – NAYAPUL – POKHARA

As the hike draws to an end, take your time to enjoy the scenery as you follow this last stretch of trail downhill towards Nayapul, where you will be picked up by our transportation back to Pokhara.

Overnight: Hotel

Day 09

POKHARA SIGHTSEEING

Pokhara (827m) is blessed with stunning panoramic views of the Annapurna range which forms its backdrop. Machhapuchhre dominates the scenery because of its proximity to the valley and can be seen from anywhere in Pokhara. Two other eight-thousand meter tall peaks (Dhaulagiri, Manaslu) can also be seen from the city. You can stroll around or paddle in Phewa Lake or simply sit back to enjoy the tranquil environment. Visit the impressive Devi’s fall where the river flows underground after the fall. Take a short hike to World Peace Pagoda situated atop a hill to watch sunrise over Pokhara. For the adventurous, there is an option to take in the beautiful scenery from another perspective- to paraglide down to the lake side from Sarangkot (1592m).

Overnight: Hotel

Day 10

POKHARA – NAGARKOT

Nagarkot (2195m) – a hill resort, situated on the northern fringe of the Kathmandu Valley is famous for its sunrise view of the Himalaya including Mount Everest. It also offers a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley and the whole Langtang range. The area is surrounded by rolling hills of pine trees and soaring hawks against a backdrop of snow capped mountains. Enjoy your day relaxing in the resort and exploring around the area.

Overnight: Hotel

Day 11

NAGARKOT – KATHMANDU

Wake up early to catch the magnificent sunrise over the Himalayan range. After enjoying your breakfast, you will be transferred back to Kathmandu. There will be an opportunity to explore Thamel – a shopping district with narrow streets selling all kinds of goods ranging from souvenirs, trekking equipments, woven fabrics to sweet pastries.

Overnight: Hotel

Day 12

KATHMANDU – SINGAPORE

Prepare to bid goodbye to the lovely city of Kathmandu as you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home after breakfast.

Package includes:

All land transfers including airport transfers

All accommodations in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Nagarkot and during the trek

All hotel breakfasts in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Nagarkot

Breakfast, lunch and dinner (with boiled water, coffee or tea) during the trek

Thoroughly enjoyed the Poon Hill trek! Beautiful scenery and Puskar was a patient and responsible guide. He made our trip possible and hassle-free. We also found the hotel in Pokhara in an extremely good location with many restaurants in the vicinity.

The whole trip was nicely planned from the start till the end. Our guide Puskar was generally very kind and helpful. The food was relatively good through out as well. Overall, it was a lovely trip. Will definitely come back to do this trek again.

The whole organisation was prepared smoothly prior to the trip. The ample of times attending to the enquiries and the notes given had definitely been useful. For transport, guide (and driver), food, activities, accommodation - they were pleasant. The van provided was spacious especially the legroom, and even had enough room to store our bag packs. The guide and driver were very accommodative, for an instance, stopping the van to allow us take some photos before proceeding to the trail head. Additionally, both tried their best to attempt to make conversations in English. As per food and activities, it was great. The food complimented the next activity well, an example, we were provided rice instead of noodles on the day before our summit push and back to the trail head. It was essential since we had to have plenty carbohydrates for the long trek ahead.

– SR (Group of 5 on a 2D2N Xueshan trip in Oct 2017)

First, we would like to thank hs for coming up with the itinerary of the places that we wanted to visit and always being prompt and patient in answering our queries. This trip turned out to be one of the best trips ever! Our guide, Bayu, was simply wonderful. He speaks good English and we enjoyed our conversations with him. During the hike, he frequently stopped to ask if we were okay and if we needed a rest. He would also ask if we had any other places in mind that we would like to visit around the vicinity. In all, we felt very well-taken of throughout the entire trip. Our fondest memory was the day when we had cup noodles around a campfire together with him during the early hours of dawn at King Kong Hill. It was truly unforgettable. Bayu also offered to help us take photos during the trip and we were really thankful for that. Our driver, Bayu (same name as our guide) had superb driving skills. We were really amazed at how he was able to navigate and drive through narrow and winding roads under foggy weather conditions. Throughout the trip, both of them made us feel very safe and comfortable. We did not have to worry about anything. It was really such an enjoyable trip. A big thank you to our guide, Bayu, and our driver, Bayu! 🙂

– Eunice (Group of 2 on an 5D4N Ijen, Mt Bromo, Batu in June 2017)

We always have a wish that to have a wonderful trip with a lot of fun and laugh, and so we stop dreaming and start planning. No doubt IWT is our best choice with no regretted.
First of all, we wanna thank you to our tour guide Ms Vinda, a young lady with always have a cute smiling. She is very friendly, knowledgeable, understanding and patience lady. She care a lot of us, and make sure we are not injure while hiking, but manage to reach to the top. Due to some of my friends is lack of exercise and felt exhausted, especially Ijen and Mt Bromo, she keep accompanied us and make sure 4 of us are in good condition to continue. She keep reminding us some sleepy area, and hold our hand if needed to ensure we are not fell down. She also giving us a lot of info about some interest places were going and we'll communication. She always standby to be our photographer, even some time our pose is funny. She willing to share her photos and videos with us. Thanks ya. And most importantly that she notice 1 of my friend didn't wear a suitable shoe to waterfall, she immediately take off her shoe and let my friend to wear, and help to carry my friend shoe and walk with no shoe herself...so embarrassing. She treat us ginger tea while we feel cold, Indomee after hiking and dragon fruit along the way to Surabaya. Bring us to minimart to buy our secret stuff. Lastly, we should say that~Ms Vinda, thank you so much. We are enjoyable the trip and this is really amazing. We highly recommend her as a tour guide and wish her all the best. Thumb up 👍

– May (Group of 4 on a 4D3N Ijen Crater, Mount Bromo & Batu in May 2017)

Guide Syami was amazing! Very patient and extremely helpful towards my parents (55 and 50 year old folks) . His guidance really helped my parents with their hike. Shared his knowledge on the mountain and the wildlife there. Perfect.

– Farhana (Group of 6 on an 2D1N Mt Ophir Camping Trip in Apr 2017)

Very nice group, glad I made some good friends.
Thanks to the organisers who took us for dinner near a vegetarian friendly place.

– Rajan (Group of 12 on an Open Mt Ophir Trip in Mar 2017)

Coordination with IWT was a breeze. Ying was quick in responding to queries and very helpful, giving tips according to her own experience climbing Pelapah Falls. Prasanth, the driver, was on-time, friendly and skillful. Despite the hours of driving and waiting for us, he always wore a smile on his face. Nan, our guide, was very experienced. He was like a fatherly figure who knew exactly what he was doing and that brought a lot of assurance to us. Pelapah Falls has its challenges but it was such a good experience for my friends and I. We had to tread through cooling rivers, climb using ropes, avoid giant ants and manage a few leeches but the amazing and therapeutic waterfalls made it all worth it. All of us were counted as beginner hikers and we all made it. So don't worry. Just do it!

Everything was great! From planning til the end of the trip, everything was organised. The activities were fun and itinerary was well planned. We did not feel that we were rushed at all and we get to enjoy Borobudur and Mount Bromo in our own pace. Our guide, Bayu, was very friendly and helped us a lot especially when it comes to ordering food :). This is the most relaxing, hassle-free trip I've ever had! Thanks Iwannatravel 🙂

– Sunshine (Group of 7 on a 4D3N trip to Bromo & Borobudur in Aug 2016)

I really enjoy the whole travel experience. The driver is always contactable and prompt, and transport it’s quite comfortable. The mountain guide is friendly, and is knowledgeable and ensures that the last person is not left behind, and there are 2 guides provided to us for a group of 10 which I think is quite good. The accommodation at Melaka is quite clean and it’s within the tourist attraction; Jonker Street and there’s also some free and easy time to explore with driver provided.

– Xian Ying (Group of 10 on a 2D1N trip to Mt Ophir in May 2016)

I liked how fast HS was able to plan the itinerary for our group, making it flexible to suit our preferences and how he was very prompt to answer our questions and give suggestions on things that we can do. We only ask assistance for bookings on our Vietnam trip (Mt. Fansipan trek, Lao Cai- Hanoi train tickets and Halong Bay Day Cruise). However, upon knowing that we are also traveling to Laos, HS has gone an extra mile and help us map out our Laos itinerary too. Transport provided both for Fansipan trek and Halong Bay Day Cruise were awesome as they picked us up from our hostel right on time. Our Fansipan guide was very helpful and patient and ensured everyone's safety during the trek. While our Halong Bay Cruise guide was quite informative and very entertaining as she makes us laugh without even trying. Our group was very much satisfied with the food served to us both during the Fansipan trek and Halong Bay cruise. And of course, we definitely enjoyed all the activities we did: trekking up to the summit of Fansipan, riding a sleeper train from
Lao Cai to Hanoi and kayaking in Halong Bay. Organization of our trip is superb knowing that we were IWT's first customers to book for their Fansipan trek and Halong Bay Cruise trip. *^_^*

IWT LLP, acts only as an agent for The Client in acquiring transportation, accommodations, sightseeing, trekking and other services for The Client’s benefit, and on the express condition that IWT LLP shall not be liable nor responsible for any loss (including without limitation, direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential loss, economic loss), damage, mishap, bodily injury, death, delay, defect, omission or any irregularity that may be caused to The Client, third parties or properties. IWT LLP is to be released from all liabilities deriving from acts of terrorism, hijacking, civil unrest, natural calamities, labour strikes, thefts or any other factors beyond IWT LLP’s control. Any losses and expenses are to be borne by The Client. In the event that IWT LLP is found liable by a court of competent jurisdiction on any basis in relation to The Client’s booking done via IWT LLP, IWT LLP’s maximum liability to the client is limited to the cost of the booking in question. See our full Terms and Conditions.